Hearings for suspended Mpilo bosses begin

Pamela Shumba, Senior Reporter DISCIPLINARY hearings for two suspended Mpilo Central Hospital directors started yesterday and a determination is expected on Friday next week.

Mpilo’s former operations director, Duduza Regina Moyo and finance director, Charles Govo, were suspended last year without pay after an audit uncovered irregularities that allegedly prejudiced the hospital of millions of dollars.

The two were suspended together with Dr Lawrence Mantiziba who was the chief executive officer but has since left the hospital after his contract expired.

Dr Gibson Mhlanga, a principal director in the Ministry of Health and Child Care is heading the four-member committee that is presiding over the matter.

Sources, however, told The Chronicle that Govo appeared before the disciplinary hearing yesterday morning while Moyo appeared in the afternoon.

They said Moyo’s hearing was expected to continue today.

“The disciplinary committee will be at the hospital for two days and is expected to have finalised the case by January 22. Govo appeared before the disciplinary hearing committee in the morning and it was Moyo’s turn in the afternoon. The hearing will continue tomorrow,” said a source.

According to a preliminary audit report by a local accounting firm PNA, a copy of which is in possession of The Chronicle, the hospital failed to put in place checks and balances in the awarding of tenders.

This left the system open to abuse and led to the hospital being prejudiced of millions of dollars. After scrutinising 838 tenders worth about $4,6 million awarded between January 2012 and December 31, 2014, the investigating team found that the awarding of 444 tenders with a value of about $2, 8 million, flouted provisions of the Procurement Act.

Moyo allegedly manipulated the Procurement and Tender Committee (PTC) to determine the outcome of tenders.

The report shows that she tampered with files to withhold evidence from the investigating team. Moyo allegedly undermined government policies and regulations on procurement. She is also guilty of, the audit said, drafting letters on behalf of suppliers claiming money from the hospital and deliberately awarding multiple tenders to individuals with more than one company supplying the hospital. The auditors recommended that Moyo be reported to the police for fraud.